This document discusses content optimization as a solution to mobile data overload. It begins by providing background on Telefonica Czech Republic, the largest integrated operator in the Czech Republic. It then discusses how mobile data traffic is surging as data packages and network speeds increase. Content optimization is presented as a way to improve customer experience and prevent network congestion by optimizing downloads through techniques like compression, transcoding, and protocol optimization. While not a perfect solution, content optimization is seen as most effective for traffic from personal computers using mobile internet sticks and modems, and could help postpone network investment if it significantly reduces traffic loads. The document recommends that operators pursue clientless optimization and work with software companies to support more network-aware updates and

1. Content Optimisation as a
Solution to Data Overload?
Mobile Data Offloading Conference
Berlin
16. 6. 2011
Martin Prosek, Video & Content Platform Development
Telefónica Czech Republic

2. About Telefónica Czech Republic
Telefónica Czech Republic, a.s., is the first integrated operator in
the Czech Republic, formed on 1 July 2006 by the merger of the
leading fixed line operator, ČESKÝ TELECOM, a.s., and the
strongest mobile operator, Eurotel Praha, spol. s r.o., into a
single telecommunications organization. The organization is now
operating more than seven million lines, both fixed and mobile,
making it one of the world’s leading providers of fully converged
services.
Telefónica Czech Republic offers the most comprehensive
portfolio of voice and data services in this country. Special
attention is paid to the exploitation of the growth potential,
particularly in the data and Internet sector. Telefónica Czech
Republic operates the largest fixed and mobile network including
a 3rd generation network (CDMA EV-DO and UMTS), enabling
voice, data and video transmission. Telefónica Czech Republic
also runs the largest network of WiFi hotspots in the country.
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3. About Telefónica Czech Republic
Services operated under commercial
brand O2
•
•
Quarterly Results January – March 2011
Mobile
›
›
›
Number of CDMA accesses 130 thousand.
Number of UMTS accesses 160 thousand.
Fixed
›
›
•
•
Total mobile customer base 4.8 million.
Total number of fixed telephony accesses 1.6 million.
Number of ADSL accesses 829 thousand.
Press Release 7.6.2011
98 % of the population covered by EDGE
55 % of population (780 towns and locations)
covered by UMTS
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4. Introduction
01 Content Optimisation: What and Why?
02 Impact on Customer Experience
03 Devices Dependency
04 Optimisation Costs
05 Summary and Recommendations
Disclaimer: The opinions of the author expressed in this document do
not necessarily state or reflect those of Telefónica company
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5. Mobile Data Traffic Surge
Mobile data use skyrockets everywhere
Telefónica CZ is not an exception
Cheap data packages launch
HSDPA launch
5

6. Network Overload Prevention
Network capacity upgrade
Traffic shaping
Traffic offloading
Traffic optimisation
What
traffic?
How
optimise?
6

7. Data Traffic is Highly Asymmetric
download
Upload
7

8. Priority is Optimisation of Downloads
Download
8

9. Content Optimisation
Why it might work?
•
•
•
Fixed Internet and Mobile Internet are overlapping
Content providers are usually not distinguishing between these
channels and keep the content in form suitable for fixed Internet
Thus the transferred data are not optimized for mobile access
Content optimization should
•
•
Bring better customer experience by quicker access to desired
content
Prevent network congestion
Only some content might be optimized
9

10. Data types most suitable for manipulation
HTTP browsing, Google Video, Flash Video, RTMP Video…
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11. Content Optimisation Options
Data squeezing (possibly without decreasing quality)
•
•
•
Removal of redundant data
Compression
Transcoding (codecs, multipart…)
Data transfer
•
JIT (Just-In-Time) or buffer tuning
Protocol optimization (every vendor has own name…)
•
•
•
•
VTP
TCP+
MDI (Macara Dynamic Interleaving)
…
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12. Optimisation of HTTP Browsing
Protocol optimisation
•
HTTP 1.1 keep alive, no unnecessary refreshes (304 – caused by
Etags and Last-modified headers), use browser caching
Transfer compression
•
Gzip encoding saves about 20 % of data (HTML, JS, CSS…)
Avoid scattering (too many small files)
•
Use multipart or images stripping
Downsized images
•
•
•
Efficient compression (GIF, PNG, JPEG…)
Lossy squeezing (resolution, number of colours, encoding
parameters…)
Avoid scaling by HTML parameters, invisible parts should be
cropped
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13. Optimisation of Video
Video
•
Effective codecs
› Transcoding to lower quality, lower framerate, less keyframes…
•
•
•
Different bandwidths (preferrably multibitrate or smooth streaming)
Just-in-time delivery
…

14. Optimisation without Impact on Customer
Experience
Loseless compression
•
Impossible to recognize
Lossy compression
•
Lower quality is usually invisible on small screen devices
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15. Quality Degradation
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16. Quality Degradation
Visibility of quality degradation depends on user perception
Small screen hides problems
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17. Where Network Based Content
Optimisation Fails
VPN
HTTPS
P2P
VoIP
…
Also where the content owner bans any modification!
17

18. Devices in Network
Amount of PC (laptop) users
with modems (USB dongles) is
quite low
Devices by amount in network
17%
19%
4%
Smartphones
Feature phones
Modems
Phones
without data
But their traffic is huge!
60%
Phones vs. modems by data volume
20%
Focus on the most loading
devices – PCs with modems
18
Phones
Modems
80%

19. Data Traffic by Device
19

20. Data Traffic by Device
This data is provided by
from

21. Devices Behaviour
Smartphones are usually connected „always on“ but actively used for
short periods. They might cause signalling overload due to „push
services“ but amounts of data are limited.
PCs (laptops) with modems or USB dongles/datacards have infrequent,
but high-volume consuming sessions with main focus on download.
Tablet-style devices are similar to PCs but might be preferably used for
bulk content downloads or video streaming, mostly in indoor locations.
Gaming devices need both high speed and also low latency.
M2M or telemetry devices have varying usage dynamics – smart
meters and health-monitoring devices may have very low volumes of
data traffic but need absolute priority and guarantees.
Connected CCTV cameras and sensors have high uploads.
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22. Content dependent offload
Content dependent offload as a optimisation option?
•
•
SW updates, backups etc. might be offloaded
Possibility to postpone it until offloading network is available
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23. Where is the Best Place for Optimisation?
Mobile
Operator
End-user
Device
Optimisation
Platform
Content
Provider
Cost is
enormous!
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24. Costs of Content Optimisation
Who should pay the cost of content optimisation solution at
operator?
Customers?
•
They will not pay premium cost for it.
Content providers?
•
•
They can optimise it already at their servers with lower cost.
Possibility to use operators CDN with Content Optimisation.
Operator?
•
If it would save any investment into network capacity…
24

25. Data traffic
Costs of the Content Optimisation
Total traffic without compression
Saved traffic
“-”
Inves
tmen
t
Compressible traffic
“-”
Licen
Compressed traffic
se
Uncompressible traffic
“+”
Savin
Postponed investment
gs
Years
Savings > Investment + Capacity license ?
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26. Summary
How effective is Content Optimisation to prevent network
overload? Not a “silver bullet” but a good helper at least.
Recommendations for operators:
•
•
Clientless Content Optimisation is helpful for 2G and 2.5G
Content Optimisation should be used for tackling with load
originated from PCs (USB dongles, modems…)
› Use
client/server architecture and embed Content Optimisation to PC
dialler
› Opera Mini is benefiting from this principle for years already…
•
Content Optimisation can differentiate from competitors
› Optimize own services
•
Push SW vendors to support network awareness (updates only via
fixed or offloading networks…)
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27. Thank you.